


Media Stunt

by paranoidkitten (tornyourdress)



Category: Have I Got News For You RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-30
Updated: 2009-12-30
Packaged: 2017-10-05 12:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tornyourdress/pseuds/paranoidkitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Originally written for <a href="http://nerdcakes.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://nerdcakes.livejournal.com/"><b>nerdcakes</b></a>, back in 2004, and to my knowledge the first HIGNFY RPS on the web. Though not, I am sure, in anyone's hearts.</p></blockquote>





	Media Stunt

They were called into a meeting.

Paul looked at Ian.

Ian looked at Paul.

They both looked at the letters piled up on the table. They had been coming in all week. Hundreds of them. Thousands of them. The whole campaign seemed to have been started by a teenage girl in Liverpool, which they found bizarre, and yet oddly flattering. It was nice to know that they could compete with the Elijah Woods of this world for the attention of the youth of today.

But the request – well, it was unusual. Oh, sure, there had been jokes about it in the past, back in the old days, as they'd come to think of them as, but jokes were one thing. An organised letter campaign concerning the matter was a whole other story.

The situation was explained to the men. Perhaps it would be better to give the fans what they wanted. Even if they were just an exceptionally vocal minority, they did represent a sector of the viewing public. And if they did this, well, ratings would soar! Hadn't they seen the sort of thing that was drawing in the huge audiences these days? Yes, it was just what they needed.

No, they didn't want them to do anything on air; that would look too forced. No, it was to be a very obvious off-the-camera public affair. They weren't to deny it or to confirm it. Be mysterious. The media will make up their own mind.

Ian and Paul walked out, feeling rather uncomfortable and yet somewhat intrigued by it.

"Do you want to call him, or should I?"

***

It was very carefully arranged. There would be a few reporters at the bar that night, there always were on a Friday night.

The three of them sat together, drinking and chatting amicably. It was an effort at the beginning, but as the night progressed, it became easier. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was just a matter of playing the part.

They ended up hugging each other goodbye, and Ian was surprised when he saw the flash from a camera. He'd forgotten that they were here. That that was the whole point.

From the looks on the other men's faces, they had forgotten too.

***

There was media speculation. Of course there was.

Polite and then friendly phone calls ensured that they would be there the same time the following week.

***

Suddenly it was the end of the night again and they didn't want to say goodbye. A hug between Ian and Angus turned into a kiss, and Paul watched blankly for a few moments before identifying the feeling in the pit of his stomach as jealousy.

And then somehow Angus was kissing _him_, and he wondered how that had happened, and why the pretentious git was so damn good at it.

***

Paul had decided it was unkind to keep thinking of Angus as the pretentious git when he was so – oh _fuck_ – talented at this sort of thing.

"I thought you only shagged prostitutes," Ian commented. Ian, with one hand on Angus and the other on Paul. Ian, who had been sensible enough to drag them into the men's toilets and to lock the door. Somehow it had stopped being a media stunt, if it ever had been just that to begin with.

Angus didn't reply. His mouth was otherwise occupied. Ian thought it made a nice change to not have him answering back.

***

A photo of the three of them appeared in several of the tabloids that weekend. Ian, Paul and Angus emerging from the men's, looking decidedly the worse for wear. Hair ruffled, clothes dishevelled, and rather ridiculously happy expressions on each of their faces.

They were congratulated on putting on such an excellent performance. Letters were already coming in from the delighted fans. It was amazing how quickly they'd managed to get the whole thing over and done with, wasn't it? Well done, well done.

Now that they'd acquiesced to that request, there was no need for any further nights in that bar. No need, in fact, for any further contact with Angus, if that was what they wanted.

As the weekend drew closer, and as both Paul and Ian seemed to have a lack of any definite plans for Friday night, and as that bar really was quite a nice place to spend an evening, they turned to each other.

"Do you want to call him, or should I?"

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for [](http://nerdcakes.livejournal.com/profile)[**nerdcakes**](http://nerdcakes.livejournal.com/), back in 2004, and to my knowledge the first HIGNFY RPS on the web. Though not, I am sure, in anyone's hearts.


End file.
